


Nightmares

by mydearconfidant



Category: Arsène Lupin - Maurice Leblanc, Code:Realize ～創世の姫君～ | Code: Realize - Guardian of Rebirth (Visual Novel)
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergent, Crossover, F/M, Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2019-06-11 06:01:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15309006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mydearconfidant/pseuds/mydearconfidant
Summary: night·mare, noun, /ˈnītˌmer/a frightening or unpleasant dream.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Happy July 15th AKA the 112th anniversary of when Arsene first appeared in "Je Sais Tout"! Or at least if Wikipedia didn't lie to me.  
> I tried to include some of the novel's exploration of Lupin's psyche to flesh out C:R Arsene in Guardian of Rebirth because I think GoR doesn't touch on that enough.  
> I think I'll edit this later, I need to sleep now.

Lupin is an unbeatable gentleman at the top of his game. He's always poised, prepared- ten steps ahead and long gone before you know it. 

Or so he'd like to describe himself. 

But honesty never mingles with thieves, and there is great deal of torment beneath the mask. 

He has had dreams of familiar yet far off times. One where he's choking Cardia. One on some moonlit white cliffs, where Cardia pushes him aside, takes some insolent detective's bullet for him, and dies in his arms. Dreams where he goes away and Cardia pines and pines for him until she can't bear the weight of life anymore. 

On nights like these, Lupin bolts upright in a cold sweat. Often, Cardia asks him what's wrong, tries to reach towards him but he turns away, shamed and feeling unworthy to be near her. He can never answer, not truthfully at least.

For fear she'd think him a monster.


	2. A question

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story's not right anymore.

It’s Arsene Lupin but something’s off.

He believes it’s getting worse. These lifetimes and their mistakes and unrecognizable triumphs by an almost familiar him are becoming heavier to bear.   
Phantom deaths of unknown yet beloved faces race past him. Phantom pains of wounds that never happen bother him, burn him, torment him.

Is this what it means to be more than human?


End file.
